DPR KOREA DOWN KOREA REPUBLIC TO DEFEND EAFF WOMEN’S TITLE

Wuhan: DPR Korea successfully defended their EAFF (East Asian Football Federation) Women’s East Asian Cup title on Saturday when a 2-0 victory over Korea Republic saw the champions conclude the four-team, round robin tournament with a 100% record.

The North Koreans began the defence of the title they won two years ago in Seoul with a 4-2 victory over Japan before fending off an impressive fightback from 2015 tournament hosts China, who clawed back a two-goal deficit only to go down 3-2 as Wi Jong-sim’s 69th minute winner set up Saturday’s decisive Korean derby with their neighbours, who also boasted a 100% record going into the match at the Wuhan Sports Centre Stadium.

Yun Song-mi put the defending champions ahead with 22 minutes played before Ra Un-sim, whose brace in the last 11 minutes of the opening match contributed to DPR Korea’s victory over a second-string Nadeshiko, extended the advantage seven minutes after the interval with her third of the campaign.

As it transpired, Ra’s goal completed the scoring as the reigning champions ensured the trophy would return to Pyongyang on the back of a perfect campaign for the North Korean ladies.

Japan, whose squad included just six players from the side that finished runners-up at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, took third place after goals in the last two minutes from Kumi Yokoyama (88th) and Ami Sugita (90th) saw the reigning Asian champions defeat China 2-0 in the later fixture at the Wuhan Sports Centre Stadium.

afc.com